Construction of nitronyl nitroxide-based 3d-4f clusters: structure and magnetism.

Three unprecedented nitronyl nitroxide radical-bridged 3d-4f clusters, [Ln2 Cu2 (hfac)10 (NIT-3py)2 (H2 O)2 ](Ln(III) =Y, Gd, Dy), have been obtained from the self-assembly of Ln(hfac)3 , Cu(hfac)2 , and the radical ligand. The Dy complex shows a slow relaxation of magnetization, representing the first nitronyl nitroxide radical-based 3d-4f cluster with single-molecule magnet behavior.